Both Russia and China face challenges that temper their interest in Venezuela’s security concerns. For Moscow, it’s the cost of its grinding war with Ukraine and for Beijing it’s a weak economy that limits its generosity. The U.S.-led financial sanctions on Caracas add to the complications of dealing with the country.

U.S. President Donald Trump ignited widespread concern on Saturday after declaring on Truth Social that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered closed in its entirety. The brief statement,

Amid Trump’s warning to close Venezuela’s airspace, Caracas faces overwhelming odds against the US superpower. Ranked 50th globally, Venezuela relies on guerrilla tactics, militias, and missile systems to resist,

The Venezuelan foreign ministry called the latest remarks from Donald Trump a "new extravagant, illegal, and unjustified aggression against the people of Venezuela".

Venezuela is entering one of its most repressive periods in years, rights monitors say, as President Nicolás Maduro faces mounting isolation and an expanding US military presence in the Caribbean.